Grete asked for her daughters to put a bowl of riskrem by the front door each night. At first, they asked why, but after the first night they understood. After three nights, Grete was wakened by the tap-tap-tap of hooves across the floorboards. She was astonished and joyful to see her elk walking through her home, where it came to rest at her bedside. She reached out to stroke his velvety muzzle and told him many tales, to which he nodded and grunted in response.

It is said that, even when Grete passed away, her elk would often visit the house, and her children would wake oftentimes to find muddy hoof prints along the floorboards, for the elk had come to watch over them.

Aurelia has read this story to Gaia many times, always taking care to lighten her tone at the parts concerning death, but still she has questions: ‘What’s “the work of women”, Mumma? Was the elk her best friend? Wouldn’t his antlers have damaged the walls when he came into the house? What does “die” mean?’

‘Will you die, Mumma?’ Gaia asks, falling serious.

‘Not for a very, very, very long time.’

The wrinkle in Gaia’s brow softens. When Aurelia tucks her into her bed the questions about death continue, and she makes a mental note not to read that story again.

But in just ten and a half weeks’ time, she will be dead.

   6   

A HOME OR A NEST

Now

‘I’m Sophie,’ I said to the woman holding the sign. ‘Sophie Hallerton.’

The name rolled off my tongue as though it was always meant to be. It sounded sophisticated, and I could well imagine my mother’s face screwing up upon hearing someone refer to me as Sophie Hallerton.

The woman grinned and stretched out a hand. ‘Derry Boydon,’ she said in a London accent. Strange – I’d expected her to be Norwegian. She was short with sleek black hair and large blue eyes that put me in mind of a cat. ‘This is my husband, Clive,’ she said, turning to the man standing next to her.

‘How do you do?’ he said, holding out a hand. ‘I’m Tom’s business partner. Tom’s a bit tied up today and I’ve to drop Derry off in the city anyway, so here we are.’

Clive insisted on fetching my bag from the carousel and taking my handbag off my shoulder while Derry pinned me with her huge blue eyes and some very intense small talk.

‘Is this your first time in Norway?’

I nodded.

‘It’s a wonderful place,’ she said. ‘You’re going to have so much fun.’

‘I hope so.’

‘What are you talking about?’ Clive interjected. ‘She’s here to nanny, not sightsee.’